CostIndexUSA

Milwaukee, WI vs Missoula, MT Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostWI
Milwaukee
96.9
overall index
$1,450/mo rent
MT
Missoula
96.4
overall index
$1,550/mo rent

Milwaukee and Missoula have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing2.3%
Milwaukee
97.1
Missoula
94.9
🛒 Groceries+2.3%
Milwaukee
93.8
Missoula
96
🚗 Transportation0.7%
Milwaukee
104.4
Missoula
103.7
🏥 Healthcare0.6%
Milwaukee
94.4
Missoula
93.8
Utilities21.3%
Milwaukee
91.6
Missoula
72.1

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Milwaukee to see what you'd need to earn in Missoula to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Missoula, MT
$79,600
$400 less needed in Missoula

Formula: salary × (96.4 ÷ 96.9) = salary × 0.9948. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Milwaukee, WI

Median Home Price
$363,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,450
Housing Index
97.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
20.9×

Missoula, MT

Median Home Price
$552,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,550
Housing Index
94.9
Price-to-Rent Ratio
29.7×

Milwaukee has 2.3% lower housing costs compared to Missoula.

Income & Job Market

Milwaukee, WI

Median Household Income
$77,000
Per Capita Income
$43,900
Unemployment Rate
3.1%
Population
577,222
Top Industries
ManufacturingHealthcareFinanceEducationRetail

Missoula, MT

Median Household Income
$73,300
Per Capita Income
$41,800
Unemployment Rate
2.5%
Population
73,489
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareTourismGovernmentRetail

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Milwaukee, WI
4.4×income-to-rent ratio

77% of income left after rent (median)

Missoula, MT
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.